The AIF Project

War service: stowed away on HMAT 'Malwa'.

Enlisted in Egypt, 1 March 1916.

Admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, Cairo, 2 March 1916 (influenza); discharged to unit, 11 March 1916.

Admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, 14 March 1916 (follicula); discharged to duty, 17 March 1916.

Proceeded to England, May-June 1916 (date not recorded).

Admitted to Hospital, Camp Delhi, England, 22 July 1916 (mental derangement); marched into Australian Army Service Corps Training Depot, Parkhouse, from hospital, 28 July 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France as Reinforcements for 2nd Divisional Train, 12 September 1916.

Found guilty, 25 September 1916, of being out of bounds, 2nd Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 24 September 1916: awarded 7 days' confined to camp.

Found guilty, 1 November 1916, of when on Active Service being absent without leave, returning off pass from 2130 to 0600 (8.5 hours): forfeited 15 days' pay; total total: 16 days' pay.

Found guilty, 23 November 1916, of being absent off fatigue duty from 10.30 to 11.30: awarded 3 days' confined to camp.

Found guilty, 15 December 1916, of when on Active Service, drunkenness: deprived of 14 days' pay.

Attached to 1st Anzac Entrenching Bn, 21 December 1916.

Admitted to 1st Field Ambulance, 7 January 1917 (gastritis); transferred same day to 1st Australian General Hospital, Rouen; to England, 17 January 1917 (gastritis, debility); admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital, Brighton, 19 January 1917; discharged on furlough, 19 February 1917, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 6 March 1917.

Attended a course in the Lewis Gun at Tidworth Camp, 16-25 August 1917: passed 2nd Class.

Appointed Acting Corporal, 24 October 1917.

Found guilty, 29 November 1917, of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he made a false statement to his Commanding Officer: reduced to permanent rank of Private.

Tried in Civil Court, Wiltshire Assizes, Devizes, 15-16 January 1918, being charged with the murder of 5372 Acting Corporal Joseph Harold DURKIN, 6th Bn, at Sutton Veny Camp on 27 November 1917. 'The prosecution showed by experiments with the Lewis Gun that the deceased could not have shot himself, that it was discharged within five inches of the deceased's head, and that as Asser was the only other occupant of the hut he must have shot him. The Jury believed this account and [accused] was sentenced to death.' Found guilty; sentenced to death.

Appeal in the Court of Criminal Appeal was dismissed. Mr Emanuel, appearing for the applicant, said that Asser 'had been subject to insanity and that it was in his family. His father had committed suicide at Bootle some years ago, and that he (the applicant) had himself been in Asylums and in the Mental Wards of Hospitals ... Enquiries were made [regarding hospitalisation in July 1916] and a telegram was received from the Military Authorities confirming the entry [in his record] and containing the words-"Diagnosis: alcoholism". After the trial enquiries were made which showed that a James Nugent a bugler boy on one of His Majesty's Ships was discharged from the service 14 years ago for Dementia. The applicant said that he was that boy, and that he had enlisted in this war under the name of Asser, so that the Military Authorities might not know that he had been in a Lunatic Asylum.'

Hanged, HM Prison Shafton Mallet, 5 March 1918; buried within the prison precincts.

Report from the 'Wiltshire Times', 9 March 1918: 'Sequel to Camp Tragedy. Verny [sic] Asser, late a member of the Australian Field Force, was hanged at Shepton Mallet on Tuesday morning for the murder of a comrade, named Joseph Harold Durkin, who was found dead in the Camp,while two used cartridge cases were found among the Prisoner's effects. It will be remembered that Asser was condemned to death at the Wilts Assize on January 16th, but an appeal was lodged on the grounds of insanity. This appeal was, however, dismissed. Great secrecy was taken in regard to the execution, and there was no hoisting of the black flag, or the tolling of the bell. The first intimation the inhabitants of Shepton Mallet had of the occurrence was the posting of the notice outside the gaol. A Coroner's Inquest was held on the body and the evidence of the governor of the gaol, as also the doctor in attendance was to the effect that death had been instantaneous. No statement had been made by the Prisoner as to his guilt or innocence.'